UnitedHealthcare Established New ACOs in Illinois

UnitedHealthcare announced its new accountable care organizations (ACOs) that will provide coordinated care for more than 65,000 Illinois residents.

The new ACOs are being established with Advocate Health Care and Illinois Health Partners and will shift the Chicago and Peoria health systems from volume of care to quality and value, according to UnitedHealthcare.

"We know the existing fee-for-service system is not sustainable in the long term,” Lee McGrath, president of Illinois Health Partners, said in a statement. “This new model of enhanced collaboration between care providers and health plans is an important step toward delivering evidence-based, higher-quality care while bringing down costs."

Michael Englehart, president of Advocate Physician Partners, added that partnering with UnitedHealthcare enhances his system’s ability to address complex medical needs while improving outcomes, increasing satisfaction, and providing more affordable care.

Patients enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans who receive care from providers affiliated with the 2 health systems will not have to do anything different moving forward. As part of the collaboration, UnitedHealthcare will share data and incentives with Advocate Health Care and Illinois Health Partners in an effort to close gaps in care.

"We believe our collaboration with Advocate Health Care and Illinois Health Partners will deliver enhanced quality, better outcomes, and greater efficiency for our Medicare Advantage members in the Chicago and Peoria areas," Frank Mancuso, of UnitedHealthcare, said in a statement.